Trump is in fact innocent, his claims of fake news and a witch hunt truly held beliefs. Putin's meddling in the election, while it happened, was done unsolicited as he felt a Trump presidency would be destabilizing. While the Russian Government did eventually establish a working relationship with the Trump Campaign to help things along, it was all done behind Trump's back. Trump's business dealings with Russia is just your garden variety corruption that came to light at an unfortunate time and created a false implication of collusion on Trump's part.

Speaker Ryan, necessarily having to work closely with the Trump Administration, became aware of this dynamic as well as the inner workings of the Trump WH. Seeing an opportunity to orchestrate a place coup in his favor, he became the primary source of leaks, his position protecting him and his not being part of Trump's staff keeping him out of sight of those looking for the major leakers.

Knowing that none of the Russian collusion will come back on Trump, Ryan quietly encourages Mueller to focus on the 'real' issue of Russian medaling and let the courts deal with Trump's criminal enterprises in due time. Ryan also quality cultivates a relationship with NY's AG and leveraged that relationship to prevent any criminal legal action being brought against Trump.

Ryan's calculation is as follows:
Pence will go down and as nobody will want to associate with Trump after the shit hits the fan (a sentiment Ryan will quietly encourage) he won't be replaced as VP making Ryan, as Speaker, 1st in line of succession.
Much of the RNC's leadership will go down making Ryan, in light of Trump's political toxicity, the de facto party leader.
Much of Trump's cabante will go down, those that survive will resign and publicly and harshly condemn Trump in hopes that a knife in his back will save their political careers. Trump will fill the most important positions but turnover will continue to be high and non will have any real power due to the political climate.
The Dems will have a wave election in '18, taking the Senate thanks to McConnell's failed political maneuvering and coming up JUST short in the Hose making them a major player but not ousting Ryan as Speaker.

With the Midterms done, Ryan will quietly allow the NY AG to call a grand jury to examine Trump's criminal enterprises. Citing this development, Ryan will call for Trump's immediate impeachment. With the Dems a major minority power and Repubs in survival mode, Articles of Impeachment will Pass. The Dem Senate will quickly vote to convict. Absent a VP, Ryan will 'reluctantly' assented to the presidency, purge the fascists from the party and aggressively paint himself as the man that toppled Trump, overthrew a budding fascist regime and redeemed the Republican brand. He will use this image to fuel a 2020 reelection campaign. By holding off until the Midterms, Trump will have served 50% of his term and thus Ryan's 1st term won't count toward his term limits allowing him, assuming a 2020 victory, to run for a 3rd term in 2024.

If all goes according to plan, Ryan will replace Regan as the Republican mascot, the Republican Party will survive Trump's insanity and Ryan will have served a 3 term, 10 year presidency without anyone calling him out on it.

Oh, I don't believe it for a second but this whole scandal and the exact people going down seems pretty convenient for Ryan if he were plotting a coup. All the generals that seem to suddenly be calling the shots and the military ignoring his orders makes me curious as well.

Oh, I don't believe it for a second but this whole scandal and the exact people going down seems pretty convenient for Ryan if he were plotting a coup. All the generals that seem to suddenly be calling the shots and the military ignoring his orders makes me curious as well.

I'm not really sure what is going on but, considering the ineptitude obvious and the 5 year old mentality of Trump I doubt very much any in depth plotting...his crew and himself are incapable of keeping a secret or gathering the required allies.
More than likely this is just a level of stupidity so intense that you could not make it up and make a good novel.

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